Automatically-controlled spotlight



May 8, 1923. 1,454,228

L. A BEAN AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED SPOTLIGHT Filed April 25. 1922 INVENTOR. 7 laws/4 554W r /5 5 Z5 A A TTORNEY.

LOUIS A. BEAN, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIG'NOR TO CLIVE L. sm, 0]? DENY,

' COLORADO.

AUTOMATICALLY-CONTROLLED SPOTLIGHT.

Application filed April 25, 1922.- Serial No. 556,503.

To all whom it may concem;

Be it known that I, LOUIS A. BEAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically-Controlled Spotlights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a spot-light which is adapted to be controlled by the movements of the front wheel spindle of an automobile and has for its principal object the provision of a device of this character which can be attached without the necessity of drilling holes or disturbing the present headlights in any way. 1

Another object is to provide an article of this character which will be supported above the car springs and which will not be subjected to the vibrations of the axle.

A further object is to provide a spot-light which will automatically follow the movements of the front wheels of the automobile and keep the road ahead lighted regardless ofturns in the road.

A further object is to provide a light near the surface of the road below the head lights, which will project a beam along the road where needed and yet will be so low that the direct beam of light will not strike the eye of an approaching autoist.

A still further object resides in the rovision of a device of this character w ich can be easily adjusted to suit various spring heights on different cars and in which the direction of the beam of light is easily ad- 'ustable and which is also adjustable to old difl'erent present makes of spot-lights.

A still further object is to provide bear-' ings and joints which are enclosed to prev.

vent mud, sand. water, etc., from reaching the bearing surfaces.

Other objects reside in the detail construc tion of the article which lead to efiiciency, simplicity and cheapness of manufacture and which will become apparent from the following description.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof, corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and in all views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

In the drawing: F 1g. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the improved spot-light installed on an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a partial front view of an automobile with the improved spot-light in place.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with a cross section taken on the line 3-3, Fi 4.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the spot-light and supporting mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the lever arm which is adapted to be attached to the steering spindle of an automobile.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of-a modified form of the lever arm shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 isa detail view of the radius rod which transmits the action of the steering spindle to the spot-light.

Let the numeral 10 designateia supporting arm which is provided at its upper extremity with a clamp 11 adapted to be clamped to one of the head-light brackets of certain automobiles as shown at 12, Fig. 1. The lower extremity of supporting arm 10 j is provided with a vertical sleeve 13 in which is slidably mounted a section of tubing 14. Tubing 14 is locked in position in the sleeve 13 by means of .a set screw 15.

Rotatably mounted in the tubing is a section of smaller tubing or a rod 16, carrymg, fixed to its upper extremity, a bifurcated clamp 17 and to its lower extremity;

a lever arm 18. Clamp 17 and lever 18 may be fixed to rod 16 by means of pins 19, or in any other suitable manner, and are so placed that they fit snugly against the ends of tubing-14, thereby preventing the entering of foreign substances between the rod 16 and the tubing 14.

Fitted into the bifurcation in the clamp 17 is a spot-light clamp 20, which is adapted to be slipped over the stem or handle of a snot-light 21 and clamped thereon by means of a clamp-screw 22.

Spot-light'clamp 20 can be rotated in the is provided with a large circular opening 27 to allow free radial play for the'radius rod 25 and in addition is provided with a slot 28 which allows a greater horizontal movement Caps 26 and 31 clamp the balls'2d and 29 respectively with sufiicient firmness to prevent any rattling but still allow free movement of the balls in their sockets, Any looseness can be taken up by tightening the screws which hold the caps to the levers.

Lever 30 is provided with a shoulder or flap 33 which is adapted to lit under the spindle arm nut 34 of an automobile. tour or the extremity of lever 30 is such that it tits around the automobile spindle body 3511s shown in Fig. 3, where the usual automobile spindle body is shown-in brolren lines.

lln Fig. 6 a modified "form of the lever arm 30 is shown, which will be designated as 30. This form is used where it is desired to raise the radius rod for any reason.

For most efficient operation eidtdprevent the vibrations of the axle from being transmitted to the spot-light the radius-rod 25 is kept absolutely horizontal. Diii erent automobiles ot the same make, because of different weights and spring conditions vary in height from the axle to the chamis. Adjustment for these varying conditions is made by sliding the tubing 14: in the socket 13, until the radius rod 25 is horizontal, and then locking it in place with the set screw 15.

The operation of the device is so evident from the foregoing description and drawing that a detailed explanation thereof is not deemed necessary.

While l have described and illustrated herein a specific form of my invention 11 wish it understood thatthe same may be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or the invention.

The con-- incense Having thus described my invention, what ll claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An automatically controlled spot-light comprising a lever adapted to be attached to the front wheel spindle of an automobile; an arm adapted to be attached to the headlight supporting stem of an automobile; a

spot-light mounted on a vertical shalt, said shaft being adapted to rotate in said arm; second lever mounted on said shaft and means for pivotally connecting said second lever with said first mentioned lever.

2. An automatically controlled spotlight comprising a lever adapted to be attached to the front wheel spindle of an automobile; armcarrying at its one extremity a clamp for engaging the stern of the automobile head-light and at its other extremity a vertical sleeve; a tubing mounted in said, sleeve so as to be vertically adjustable therein;

spot-light carrying shaft rotatably mounted in said tubing and provided at its lower er; tremity with a fixed lever and means for pivotally connecting said fixed lever with said first mentioned lever.

3. ln an automatically controlled spot light, the combination of an L shaped adapted to be clamped to an automobile head light bracket at its one extremity and pro vided with a vertical sleeve at its opposite extremity; tubing slidably mounted in said sleeve; means for securing said tubing any desired point in said sleeve; a spotlighb supporting shaft rotatably mounted in tubing and means for communicating the movements of the automobile steering mechanism to said shaft.

- 4. Means for mountingan automatically controlled spot light comprising an arm arranged to clamp to the headlight supportin stem or an automobile and project downwardly and forwardly therefrom, said arm being provided at its torward extremity with a vertical sleeve in which is slidably mounted a vertical tube, said tube acting as a hearing for the spot-light stem and means "for securing said tubing at any desired height in said sleeve.

In testimony whereof l aiiix my signature.

LQUllS A. BEAN.

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